How long does it take you to learn French

Learning a second language is always a great experience. Knowing a foreign language gives you to confidence to have conversations with people of other countries, make new friends and expand your entrepreneurial activities. A common question asked by a large number of French learners is, ‘how long does it take to learn French?

There are around 220 million speakers worldwide. So, it is clear that knowing a foreign language can increase your chances to grow both at the personal and professional level. French, particularly, is such a language that makes you wonder ‘how long does it take you to learn French?’

Having such questions in mind is quite normal. But realistically, knowing how long it takes to learn a foreign language depends upon different factors. Your experience, prior knowledge, motivation, and consistency are some of the major factors that affect your learning rate.

But, there is one factor that is the most important i.e. choosing the right learning method. You need to make sure that your learning method rightly serves your purpose of learning French. To learn French online, you can enroll yourself with italki. Here, the most experienced online French tutors, tailoring the lesson plans according to your learning requirements, will make your French learning process smoother and easier.

First of all, you need to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself. Setting up the goals will determine, how long you will take to learn French. If you are planning to learn French for a foreign visit, you can learn the basics within a week. But, if you want to be able to speak French fluently, know that it will take time. It is a well-proven fact that proficiency comes when you dedicate more time.

In the following section, we are going to categorize different levels of learners to comprehend the time it takes to learn French.

Beginner

Beginners can understand and use simple French phrases and expressions. Even if the speaker does not speak too quickly, they can understand the conversation with French speakers.

Advanced Beginner

Advanced beginners also understand basic French expressions and phrases. They can exchange basic information about their daily routines and surroundings in French.

Intermediate

You should be able to construct full French sentences if you are an intermediate speaker. You should have no trouble traveling because you communicate well if you are at an intermediate level. You can also comprehend critical input and opinions.

Advanced

Complex topics can be understood by advanced French speakers. If you are an advanced speaker and can clearly articulate your opinions on certain issues, you can freely interact with native French speakers.

Expert

An expert is someone who has mastered the French language completely. They can express themselves and read complex texts fluently. Experts are adaptable in their use of the language, both in formal and informal settings, and can comprehend the majority of what they see or hear.

Factors affecting your French learning

Once you have identified the level of proficiency that you want to achieve, you need to look at the factors that can help you to achieve your goal. You need to create such circumstances that help you to grow your knowledge of French knowledge.

Learning a foreign language is a different experience for every person and is based on different factors. Following are some of the major factors that can determine how long it will take you to learn French

The time you put in

It is a well-established fact that the more time you devote to your French studies on a daily basis, the faster you will see the desired results. But it’s fine if you can only devote a short amount of time to studying each day. Just keep in mind that mastering French may take several years.

Your attitude toward learning

How quickly you learn French will be determined by your attitude. Learning French will be fun and easy if you have a positive attitude and are willing to learn. You need to be eager to learn as much as possible, making the process more enjoyable and, eventually, faster.

Method of learning

The best language learning methods are essential for achieving French fluency faster. If you only learn in the classroom, it may take you longer to learn than if you have exposure outside of the classroom. Movies, eBooks, and speaking, or traveling to a French-speaking country can all help you learn faster. You can also learn French by podcasts, listening to native speakers is a great strategy to learn about French tones, vocabulary, and grammar.

Native Language of the learner

Languages may appear to be different, but they are more similar than you realize. Learning a language that is similar to your native language saves time when learning vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Because they both have Latin roots, French should be simple to learn if English is your first language. Cognates can help you learn French faster and easier than you thought possible.

Knowledge of other Romance languages

Being fluent in another romance language can help you learn French much faster. Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian are some other romance languages. Because they are derived from Latin, they all have very similar vocabulary and grammatical features.

Level of motivation

When learning a new language, motivation is essential. To stay motivated, remind yourself why you are learning French and the benefits you will get once you have mastered the language. You can speed up the learning process if you stay motivated.

Learning a new language is a difficult task. Motivation, effort, and the right attitude are required. Remind yourself on a regular basis why you are learning the language and the benefits that await you once you have completed the learning process.

These were some of the factors that determine the answer to the very popular question i.e. how long does it take to learn French?

What? Do you still want to know the exact number? Well, there are several estimations that are being made while determining the actual time it takes to learn French. In fact, the actual time varies from person to person as everyone has different levels of motivation, and everyone put in different levels of effort.

For English speakers:

French is relatively easier to learn for English native speakers. If you are a native English speaker, you will take around 23 weeks to gain fluency in French. You can break it down as follows:

• If you study for 1 hour every day, you can learn French in one and a half years.
• If you spend 6 hours every day learning French, you can learn it in less than 100 days.
• If you only spend 20 minutes a day learning French, it will take you over 4 and a half years to master it.

Knowing English can help you learn faster. It is, however, critical to be aware of false cognates. These words look and sound the same, but they have completely different meanings. False cognates can be confusing at first, but they will eventually help you distinguish between the two languages.

For Spanish speakers:

If you speak Spanish, learning French will be a piece of cake. Both languages have some cognates and share vocabulary words and grammatical structures. If you are learning French and come across cognates, you will grasp the meaning of the words more quickly.

How to learn French faster

There are numerous methods you can use to learn French faster. French courses, textbooks, and online activities and games are among them. The best learning method for you will depend on your goals; however, it is recommended that you choose a learning method that is efficient, accurate, and allows you to have fun while learning.

Having regular French conversations will help you learn faster. You can find partners who are at the same or higher level than you and converse with them. You can practice saying different French phrases such as thank you and you are welcome in French. Using such phrases in your daily conversations will boost your confidence to speak French in public.

You need to track your journey to fluency on regular basis. It will help you to retain your motivation and to get the desired learning outcomes.